Ahead of Fourth of July celebrations this week, the MNPD would like to remind Nashvillians of a few important safety measures.
Hundreds of MNPD officers will have a very visible presence at Thursday’s Let Freedom Sing! Music City July 4th celebration downtown which is expected to have more than 250,000 persons attending. The police department reminds event goers to be mindful of their surroundings, and that if you see something suspicious or concerning, say something to a nearby officer, or call 615-880-1515. The telephone line will ring directly to an MNPD command post. Those attending are also advised to protect their personal belongings and not leave them unattended.
The Woodland Street Bridge will be closed to vehicle traffic at 8 p.m. Thursday night and will then be available only to pedestrians. The Seigenthaler Pedestrian Bridge will be closed to citizens at 8 p.m. and will not be available for the viewing of fireworks due to it being in the fallout zone. The fireworks show is scheduled to begin at 9:30 p.m.
Area residents are cautioned against stopping on the shoulders of the interstate system to watch the downtown fireworks display. Stopping or parking on the interstate is inherently dangerous. To enhance public safety, the interstate loop on the east side of downtown will close between 9-10 p.m., with assistance from TDOT and THP. The closure will impact four interchanges: Shelby Avenue, James Robertson Parkway, Woodland Street/Interstate Drive, and Ellington Parkway/Spring Street.
After the fireworks display, the police department will deploy a specific egress plan to move traffic out of the downtown area as efficiently as possible. Motorists are asked to be patient as officers work to disperse the very large volume of traffic.
For parking and rideshare information as well as road closures, visit VisitMusicCity.com/July4th.
An important reminder that it is illegal to use fireworks in Davidson County, except for properly permitted public displays. Neighborhood complaints can be submitted electronically to Hub Nashville at hub.nashville.gov. Residents are urged to refrain from calling 911 to report fireworks, unless significant concern or injury is involved, to keep those lines open for true emergencies.